Following the continuous immigration raids by federal officials, the city of Los Angeles has sought national attention as thousands of demonstrators continue to gather and occupy its streets, expressing their fear and rage. This protest started on June 6, 2025, and it is growing quickly in tandem with the speed of time. It is becoming more intense every day, resulting in property destruction, disputes with law enforcement, and controversy. The state is experiencing several inconveniences as a result of this prolonged protest, and it is currently getting out of hand.
What is the Protest About?
Trump wants to carry out the “biggest deportation operation” in US history, which includes the latest raids. One of the primary targets of operations has been Los Angeles, where more than one-third of the population was born outside the United States. While total arrests and deportations fell short of Trump’s targets, ICE reported in early May that it had arrested 239 undocumented migrants during a week-long operation in the Los Angeles area.
The White House raised its target for ICE officers to make at least 3,000 arrests per day the next month. Authorities have been searching more and more areas, including retail stores and restaurants. At least one person who was in the US lawfully was among the migrants sent to a mega-prison in El Salvador as part of the massive deportation drive.
How did the Protest Spread?
This protest began as a gathering of a few people, which then grew with immediate action. Hundreds to thousands of people joined the protest, resulting in so much chaos and loud chanting of slogans. These slogans were “No human being is illegal” and “Stop the raids now!” Many hold boards with slogans demanding justice and calling for an end to this torture and aggression by the authorities.
The result of this protest was that it extended outside of downtown as people marched towards the neighbourhood cities such as Koreatown, South Los Angeles, Boyle Heights and more. Due to long marches and protests in huge gatherings, there were a lot of traffic jams, and many roads were blocked, which created a lot of problems for people to navigate.
Trump Administration vs Other Officials
To control this rigorous protest, Trump, the President of the US, has sent 4000+ National Guard and 700 Marines, which has become a matter of controversy in itself. Such a big decision to send these guards and marines was made without the consent of California Governor Gavin Newsom. Every other official is claiming that this move is against state sovereignty and is definitely a political move that is unacceptable.
Since sending these guards on the ground has not resolved the issue, but rather made it worse. Governor Newsom has ordered to recall of the guards in order to calm the situation down. To this, the Trump administration claimed that the other officials are just sitting idly and doing nothing, and warned them that if this protest continues like this, he will send more troops and guards to the protest ground.
What does National Guard mean?
The National Guard is a reserve military force composed of part-time service members that may be activated by state and federal governments to deal with civil disturbances, natural disasters, and domestic emergencies. The National Guard is usually controlled by state governors under the military operational scheme, rather than the active-duty military, which is always under the control of the president, unless the president federalises the National Guard.
Former President Donald Trump used the National Guard several times during his presidency, with the most publicised use occurring as a reaction to civil disturbances and riots following the killing of George Floyd in 2020. Critics of manning the National Guard suggested that the riots were inflamed by the deployment, and there were also concerns about the militarisation of responses to citizens’ protests. Trump, however, argued that the military response was necessary to restore law and order in municipalities experiencing protests.
What is the Situation As of Now
Daily protests are still going on in downtown Los Angeles as of June 13, 2025. Law enforcement is heavily represented, with National Guard members positioned outside of federal buildings and correctional facilities. As the situation remains the same, the police are declaring that they will arrest the immigrants, and this protest is illegal. Most of the people are protesting non-violently, but there are some reports of frequent fires and property damage.
There is a clear miscommunication among the military forces and local law enforcement in Los Angeles, which is a cause of this difficulty in the state. Furthermore, there have been reports of certain Marines and National Guard members expressing dissatisfaction with their domestic deployment, which hurts morale.
Broader Impact and National Reaction
Other than Los Angeles, there are many other states that are involved in the protest:
- There have been certain reports that state that on 10 June, Texas Governor Abbott ordered the National Guard to go to San Antonio, as there are some plans for rallies and protests in that area as well.
- Thousands of protesters are found in San Francisco as well. Here, more than 150 people are arrested near an ICE office. This move turned very violent.
- New York is another city that is suffering from the same situation and is demanding justice. There have been “multiple arrests” which has hindered the peace of the nation.
- Other cities like Chicago, Washington, DC, Atlanta and Philadelphia are undergoing the same protest.
Final Thoughts…
The recent demonstrations in Los Angeles are a noteworthy instance of civic unrest connected to immigration enforcement practices. The city continues to draw national attention due to its intense political confrontations between federal and state officials, thousands of protesters, and a robust federal military presence.
Even if a large number of protesters demand the rights of immigrants and an end to violent raids, law enforcement is still having difficulty keeping the peace as emotions rise. Law enforcement responses and protests are changing every day; thus, the situation is still unstable. Though the conflict highlights the stark differences over immigration enforcement and policy in the United States today, both government authorities and community leaders call for calm.
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